Location updates for call routing decisions

ABSTRACT

A Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) server is configured to provide VoIP services to a plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices. Geolocation information identifying a first geographic location of the particular endpoint device is received at the VoIP server and from an application running on a VoIP-capable endpoint device. A second geographic location for an IP address is compared to the first geographic location. In response to a mismatch between the compared geographic locations, a location database is modified to include an entry specifying that the particular endpoint device is located at the first geographic location. For an outgoing telephone call from the endpoint device, the modified entry is used to select a telephone carrier. The outgoing telephone call is routed using the selected telephone carrier.

OVERVIEW

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) use has allowed individuals to maketelephone calls using broadband Internet connections in place oftraditional telephone lines. A VoIP endpoint device can use a broadbandInternet connection to connect to a VoIP server that is managed by aVoIP service provider. The VoIP server can handle call routing andprovide other VoIP services for the VoIP endpoint device. The use ofVoIP technology can allow for a great deal of flexibility in thegeographic location (geolocation) at which an individual places andreceives telephone calls, while using the same endpoint device and phonenumber. The geolocation of a VoIP endpoint device can affect how theVoIP server handles calls to and from the VoIP endpoint device.Geolocation is a difficult problem to implement in practice. TheInternet Protocol (IP) addresses can dynamically change and there is nosingle authoritative source of geolocation data for tracking all ofthese changes.

SUMMARY

Various example embodiments are directed to issues such as thoseaddressed above and/or others which may become apparent from thefollowing disclosure. Certain embodiments of the present disclosure aredirected toward apparatuses (including systems and their devices) andmethods for use with a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) server thatis configured to provide VoIP services to a plurality of VoIP-capableendpoint devices.

According to certain specific embodiments, the systems/methods involvereceiving, at the VoIP server and from an application running on aparticular endpoint device of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpointdevices, geolocation information identifying a first geographic locationof the particular endpoint device; comparing the first geographiclocation to a second geographic location indicated by an IP address usedby the particular endpoint device; modifying, in response to a mismatchbetween the compared geographic locations, a location database toinclude an entry specifying that the particular endpoint device islocated at the first geographic location; receiving, at the VoIP server,an outgoing telephone call from the particular endpoint device;selecting, based upon the entry that specifies that the particularendpoint device is located at the first geographic location, a telephonecarrier; and routing, based upon the selecting of the telephone carrier,the outgoing telephone call using the selected telephone carrier.

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward amethod for use with a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) server that isconfigured to provide VoIP services to a plurality of VoIP-capableendpoint devices. The method includes: receiving, at the VoIP server andfrom an application running on a particular endpoint device of theplurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices, geolocation informationidentifying a first geographic location of the particular endpointdevice; comparing the first geographic location to a second geographiclocation indicated by an IP address used by the particular endpointdevice; modifying, in response to a mismatch between the comparedgeographic locations, a location database to include an entry specifyingthat the particular endpoint device is located at the first geographiclocation; receiving, at the VoIP server, an inbound call to theparticular endpoint device; selecting, based upon the entry thatspecifies that the particular endpoint device is located at the firstgeographic location, a media server; and routing, based upon theselecting of the telephone carrier, the inbound call using the selectedmedia server.

Particular embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a system thatincludes: a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) server that includes oneor more computer processor circuits that are configured to provide VoIPservices to a plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices by: receiving,at the VoIP server and from an application running on a particularendpoint device of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices,geolocation information identifying a first geographic location of theparticular endpoint device; comparing the first geographic location to asecond geographic location indicated by an IP address used by theparticular endpoint device; modifying, in response to a mismatch betweenthe compared geographic locations, a location database to include anentry specifying that the particular endpoint device is located at thefirst geographic location; receiving, at the VoIP server, a telephonecall for which the particular endpoint device is a calling peer; makinga routing decision based upon the entry that specifies that theparticular endpoint device is located at the first geographic location,and routing the telephone call based upon the routing decision.

The above discussion/summary is not intended to describe each embodimentor every implementation of the present disclosure. The figures anddetailed description that follow also exemplify various embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The disclosure may be more completely understood in consideration of thefollowing detailed description of various embodiments of the disclosure,in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a system diagram for using geolocation informationprovided from endpoint devices, consistent with specific embodiments ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 2 depicts a flow diagram for selecting VoIP call components basedupon geolocation data, consistent with specific embodiments of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram for establishing a call using geolocationinformation, consistent with specific embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram for a VoIP endpoint device applicationthat provides geolocation updates, consistent with specific embodimentsof the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 depicts a flow diagram for generating periodic updating timingsfor different endpoints, consistent with one or more embodiments of thepresent disclosure; and

FIG. 6 depicts a flow diagram for processing and updating locationaddresses relative to IP addresses, consistent with embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

While various embodiments are amenable to various modifications andalternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of examplein the drawings and will be described in detail. It should beunderstood, however, that the intention is not to limit the disclosureto the particular examples and embodiments described. On the contrary,the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, andalternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the present disclosure are believed to be applicable to avariety of different types of apparatuses, systems and methods relatingto selection of telephone carriers based upon geolocation information.Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towardslocation updates for use with a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)server that is configured to provide VoIP services to a plurality ofVoIP-capable endpoint devices (sometimes referred to simply as an“endpoint” or a “VoIP endpoint”).

In the following description, various specific details are set forth todescribe specific examples presented herein. It should be apparent toone skilled in the art, however, that one or more other examples and/orvariations of these examples may be practiced without all the specificdetails given below. In other instances, well known features have notbeen described in detail so as not to obscure the description of theexamples herein. For ease of illustration, the different diagrams canrefer to the same elements, more specific embodiments, or additionalinstances of the same element. Also, although aspects and features mayin some cases be described in individual figures, it will be appreciatedthat features from one figure or embodiment can be combined withfeatures of another figure or embodiment even when the combination isnot explicitly shown or explicitly described as a combination.

While the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to suchembodiments, certain embodiments are disclosed and/or illustrated inconnection with the VoIP server being configured to communicate with anapplication running on a particular VoIP-capable endpoint device, wherethe application provides geolocation information that identifies ageographic location of the particular endpoint device. In certainembodiments, the VoIP server also relies on the IP address used by theparticular endpoint device to obtain secondary geolocation informationspecifying another geographic location. This additional geolocationinformation can be obtained from IP registration data, IP geolocationservices, or other sources that correlate an IP address with ageolocation.

According to various embodiments discussed herein, the geographiclocation indicated by the IP address is sometimes inconsistent with theactual geographic location of the endpoint device (as indicated by thesecondary geolocation information). The VoIP server can be configured tocompare the two geographic locations to detect a mismatch. In responseto a mismatch between the compared geographic locations, a locationdatabase can be modified accordingly. For instance, the locationdatabase can include an entry for each endpoint device. The entries canspecify a current IP address, a user identifier/telephone number, and ageographic location. The modification can include storing data in thedatabase to effect a modification of the entry. The modified entryupdates the location for the particular endpoint device to indicate thelocation provided by the application running on the particularVoIP-capable endpoint device, whereas before the modification of theentry might have specified a geographic location associated with the IPaddress, or some other geographic location.

According to certain embodiments, the VoIP server receives one or moreoutgoing calls from the particular endpoint device. The VoIP server canaccess the location database to retrieve the entry that specifies thatthe particular endpoint device is located at the geographic locationprovided by the application running on the endpoint device. Using thisgeographic location information, the VoIP server can select a telephonecarrier to use for routing the outgoing call. Various embodiments allowfor the VoIP server to use the geolocation information select componentsother than a telephone carrier, such as a media server. As discussedherein, a media server is a server that is deployed in voice networksand provides media related functions, such as media manipulation (e.g.,applying codecs), recording functions, playing of tones orannouncements, or media relay (proxy) functions.

Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 depicts a system diagram for usinggeolocation information provided from endpoint devices, consistent withembodiments of the present disclosure. In connection with thesespecifically-illustrated examples, VoIP endpoint devices 116, 118, and120 are configured to place and receive VoIP telephone calls betweenother VoIP endpoint devices, and also between non-VoIP endpoint devices102 and 104. The depicted examples of non-VoIP endpoints devices includeplain old telephone service (POTS) telephones 104, and cellular-capabledevices 102 (e.g., smart phones). The various endpoint devices includecircuitry that is specially configured to provide calling functions thatinclude interfacing with the appropriate circuitry of the call serviceprovider used by the corresponding endpoint device. In many contexts aVoIP-endpoint device is a VoIP-capable telephone commonly referred to asIP phones. The VoIP-endpoint devices can include, but are not limitedto, desktop computers, mobile (smart) phones, laptop computers, andtablets. When each of the endpoint devices originates or receives a callin a telephone network, each can be characterized or referred to as anaddressable call endpoint or a dial peer. The call routing and otherservices for these VoIP telephone calls can be provided by one or moreVoIP servers 114, 115. A particular example of a VoIP server usessession initiation protocol (SIP) to handle various call functions(e.g., call setup and tear down); however, the various embodimentsdiscussed herein are not necessarily limited thereto.

Consistent with the above and in other embodiments disclosed herein, theVoIP servers 114, 115 can be configured to establish a leg of the callfrom the VoIP endpoint devices (or dial peers) to another VoIP endpointdevice or to a gateway. In certain embodiments, the VoIP provider thatoperates the VoIP servers 114, 115 can use telephone carriers 108,110 toestablish additional legs. For example, when the one of the dial peersis not part of the VoIP provider's network, the VoIP servers 114, 115can be configured to use telephone carriers 110 and data centers 108.Accordingly, one element of call routing can include the selection oftelephone carriers or media servers 108, 110 to complete thecorresponding leg of the call. For ease of discussion, variousembodiments are discussed in connection with one of either telephonecarriers or data centers that include media servers. The correspondingembodiments are not necessarily limited thereto.

The telephone carriers can complete the call leg by establishing audioconnections over the public-switched telephone network (PSTN) 106, theInternet 112, or both the PSTN 106 and Internet 112. Various aspects ofthe present disclosure recognize that selection of a telephone carriercan result in significant differences in the costs and quality for aparticular telephone call. For example, this is a likely situation whendealing with global/international calls. In such situations, the VoIPprovider may have the option of using a telephone carrier based out ofthe United Kingdom (UK) or a global/international carrier that handlescalls from any country. The UK-based carrier may be preferred overanother carrier when the VoIP endpoint device is located within the UK,while the international carriers may be preferred when the VoIP endpointdevice is located in other countries.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the VoIPservers 114, 115 uses a location database 122 to determine thegeographic location for a VoIP endpoint device. The geographic locationis then used to select the appropriate telephone carrier. Consistentwith various embodiments, the geographic location can be provided from anumber of different potential sources. A first potential source is theglobal/external IP address used by the VoIP endpoint device. Theregistration for the IP addresses are controlled by the InternetAssigned Numbers Authority (IANA), and includes several regionalregistries. An individual with an assigned IP address can link an IPaddress to a network adapter and can also register one or more domainnames for the IP address. The registration can include geolocationinformation for the entity assigned to the IP address and generally forthe location of the network adapter. Domain name system (DNS) serverscan propagate the domain name throughout the DNS.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward therecognition that a registered location for an IP address is not alwaysaccurate for a VoIP endpoint device using that IP address. For example,a VoIP endpoint device can be part of a local network that accesses theInternet using an external IP address. The DNS for the external IPaddress can be hosted by a remote service, which can be located in acompletely different geographic location relative to the VoIP endpointdevice. Accordingly, the VoIP endpoint devices 116, 118, and 120 can beconfigured to run a software application that ascertains the geographiclocation of the endpoint device and communicates this information to theVoIP servers 114, 115. For example, the software application couldaccess Global Positioning System (GPS) data from a GPS module of theVoIP endpoint device to obtain the geolocation information. The reportedgeolocation information can then be used as a second potential sourceand be provided to the VoIP servers 114, 115 and compared to thegeolocation information for the IP address, as stored in the locationdatabase 122.

In certain embodiments, the software application can be configured toonly provide geolocation information when it detects a location changefrom the previously reported geolocation information. The softwareapplication can store the previously reported geolocation informationand periodically compare against a newly-determined GPS location, forinstance. In some embodiments, the software application can beconfigured with one or more trigger events that correspond to when alocation change justifies reporting of the change. For example, a radiusof a certain number of miles could be used. In some instances, theradius can be relative to the previously reported geolocationinformation. For instance, the trigger could be set so that the softwareapplication provides a location update anytime the endpoint device hasmoved a mile from the last reported geolocation. A radius might also berelative to location of a data center (and corresponding media servers)to which the endpoint device is assigned. In this instance, the softwareapplication could be provided with the geolocation of the current datacenter and provide software updates if the endpoint device moves outsideof a certain distance. This can be particularly useful for selection ofa data center that has less latency and jitter. The reduced latency andjitter is often correlated with less hops in a connection path betweenthe data center and the endpoint device, and the number of hops isgenerally consistent with the physical distance.

While the term radius is used in various examples, more complex shapescould also be implemented. For example, the software application couldbe provided with a data center map that defines geographic regions foreach data center. The software application could be configured with atrigger event that corresponds to the endpoint device moving into a newregion that is associated with a different data center.

In some instances, the software application could be programmed withknowledge of different regions associated with different telephonecarrier preferences. The trigger event can correspond to situationswhere the geographic location indicates that the VoIP endpoint devicehas moved to a new region. A trigger event might also correspond to theexpiration of a time period relative to a prior geographic update by theendpoint device. For example, the trigger event might be such that theendpoint device provides a geographic location every four hours. Incertain embodiments, the time period can be set differently fordifferent geographic locations. For instance, if end-point locationregistration is currently linked to a data center that covers all ofEurope and a user is in central Europe, an update might only be set forevery eight hours (e.g., because it is unlikely that a user willphysically leave Europe in less than that time period). The limits onwhen geolocation information is reported can be particularly useful forimproving scalability of the system, e.g., by reducing datacommunications and associated computer processing time resulting fromthe received geolocation information and the updating of the locationdatabase 122.

In particular implementations, the trigger events that are based upongeographic regions or radii from a static point can be configured with ahysteresis that helps to avoid a flood of updates from an endpointdevice where a trigger event is generated many times in a short periodof time. This might occur if an endpoint device is near a boundary for atrigger event and the software application that ascertains thegeographic location detects movement of small distances that traversethe boundary. The source of the detected movement could be actualmovement of the endpoint device or small variations in accuracy of thelocation by the location module (e.g., GPS). The hysteresis could takeseveral different forms, alone or in combination. For example, twodifferent trigger event locations (corresponding to a change betweendata centers) can be used and distinguished depending upon whichdirection the endpoint is moving. In other words, the effective coveragemaps for two different data centers could overlap, and an endpointdevice in the overlap will remain linked to the prior data center. Thus,two endpoint devices in the same location within the overlapping areacould be linked to different data centers depending on which data centerthe endpoint was linked with prior to entering the overlapping area.Another type of hysteresis is time based. For example, the softwareapplication could be configured with a delay that prevents a locationupdate from being provided, or processed, within a certain amount oftime after a recent update was provided.

Certain embodiments are directed toward the use of geolocationinformation, received from one VoIP endpoint device, in carrierselection decisions for other VoIP endpoint devices. For instance, twoVoIP endpoint devices might share the same external IP address when theyare part of the same local area network (LAN). The VoIP server mightobtain GPS-based geolocation information from an application running onone of the VoIP endpoint devices, while a second of the VoIP endpointdevices might not have GPS capabilities. If the GPS location informationmatches the geolocation information for the external IP address, thismight indicate that other devices using the IP address are likely to belocated at the same geographic location. The VoIP server can thereforeuse the same geographic location information for each of the VoIPendpoint devices using the common external IP address. If the GPS-basedgeolocation information does not match the geolocation information fromthe external IP address, this could indicate that the external IPaddress is inaccurate, or that devices using the external IP address arenot co-located with the network adapter linked to the external IPaddress. In either case, the VoIP server could mark the geographiclocation for the VoIP endpoint device without GPS capabilities asunreliable and select an appropriate carrier (e.g., selecting a defaultglobal carrier instead of a specific local carrier).

In some instances and consistent with specific embodiments, the VoIPserver receives GPS-based geolocation information from multiple VoIPendpoint devices that have GPS capabilities. The VoIP server analyzesthe information and categorize the VoIP devices using the external IPaddress accordingly. For example, if the geolocation informationprovided by the VoIP endpoint devices indicate they are each co-located,the VoIP server can modify the location database to link the VoIPendpoint devices to the common location. Moreover, if other VoIPendpoint devices use the external IP address, but do not have GPScapabilities, the VoIP server can use the common location for theseother VoIP endpoint devices. In another example, if the VoIP endpointdevices indicate they are not co-located, the VoIP server can modify thelocation database to indicate that devices using the external IP addressare geographically distributed. If other VoIP endpoint devices use theexternal IP address, but do not have GPS capabilities, the VoIP servercan indicate that the geographic location linked to the external IPaddress may be unreliable and select an appropriate carrier for VoIPendpoint devices that have not provided secondary geolocationinformation.

While GPS is discussed in connection with a number of differentembodiments, endpoint devices can also determine their location usingother solutions. For example, an endpoint device could derive locationinformation from manual input from a user, cellular triangulation, Wi-Firouter data, or other sources.

According to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the VoIPserver is configured to geographic location information to make routingdecisions for both inbound and outbound calls. For instance, a mediaserver can be selected for both inbound and outbound calls. This caninclude the selection of a data center that is close to the geographiclocation of the corresponding VoIP endpoint device. The data center canbe, for example, part of a cloud-based solution where the hardwareproviding the cloud services is located in a number of different datacenters with different physical locations. Consistent with embodiments,the cloud services can include SIP servers, media servers, and serversproviding other services to both VoIP endpoint devices and the users ofthe VoIP endpoint devices.

According to various embodiments, one or more data analytics servers 124can monitor and analyze call data relating to the VoIP servers and VoIPendpoint devices. For example, the data analytics server 124 can bedesigned to track call statistics about a variety of differentcall-related parameters, such as call duration, call date, call time ofday, called parties, endpoint devices, selected data centers, selectedcarriers, dropped calls, transferred calls, voicemail access,conferencing features, and others. A VoIP server can then subscribe toparticular call summary metrics and the data analytics server 124 canprovide data corresponding to the subscription. For example, the VoIPserver could subscribe to call length summaries for all calls made toendpoints that are registered with the VoIP server. This information canthen be used by the VoIP server to control how data center and carriersare selected as well as to configure the trigger events for variousendpoint devices.

In some instances, the various servers, including both the VoIP Serversand data analytic servers discussed herein can have their functionsspread across different physical and logical components. For instance, acloud based solution can implement virtual servers that can share commonhardware and can be migrated between different underlying hardware.Moreover, separate servers or modules can be configured to work togetherso that they collectively function as a single unified server.

FIG. 2 depicts a flow diagram for selecting VoIP call components basedupon geolocation data, consistent with embodiments of the presentdisclosure. According to certain embodiments, a VoIP server receivessecondary geolocation information from a VoIP endpoint device, per block202. This information can be provided using a network connection (e.g.,through the Internet) by a software application that is running on theVoIP endpoint device. In certain embodiments, the software applicationis configured to provide geolocation information at set intervals.Certain embodiments of the present disclosure also allow for thesoftware application to provide geolocation information in response to atrigger event, such as the geographic location for the VoIP endpointdevice materially changing (e.g., moving to a different country or acertain distance). It is also possible that combinations of triggerevents and set intervals, as well as variations upon these concepts, canbe used to determine when the geolocation is provided by the VoIPendpoint devices.

As shown in the figure, the VoIP server then retrieves a geolocationentry from a location database, per block 204. The geolocation entry canbe linked to the VoIP endpoint device, a user profile, an external IPaddress, or combinations thereof. In particular embodiments, the VoIPserver can retrieve geolocation information that is linked to theexternal IP address. In some embodiments, this information is firstobtained from a remote service that provides registration information,including geographic location data, for IP addresses and correspondingDNS assignments. In some embodiments, the initial retrieval of theregistration information occurs offline. For example, when a VoIPendpoint device registers with the SIP server, the SIP server can obtainthe registration information and store it in the location database forfuture retrieval and use.

As shown at block 206, the VoIP server compares the geographic locationsfor the retrieved geolocation entry from the location database to thegeolocation information provided by the software application. The VoIPserver can then determine whether or not any mismatch between thecompared geographic locations exceeds a threshold amount, per block 208.In some instances, the threshold amount is determined upon the algorithmthat is used by the VoIP server to select different routing options. Forinstance, if the algorithm is configured to select telephone carriersbased upon country of origin, the threshold can be based upon countryborders. If the VoIP server uses an algorithm that selects a mediaserver, or data center housing one or more media server, based upongeographic distances from the server/data center, the threshold can beset to a certain mile radius relative to the currently-selected server.

As the number of endpoint devices that are each providing locationupdates increases, the processing time of the various steps can becomeincreasingly important. Accordingly, the comparison of block 206 can bekept to single distance (radius) comparison to keep the processing timelow. It is noted, however, that an ideal mapping between geographiclocations and data centers can follow non-uniform (non-circular)dimensions. Thus, a simple distance or radius comparison will beinsufficient to perfectly model such mappings. According to certainembodiments of the present disclosure, the particular radius thresholdcan be set based upon the likelihood that the mismatch would result inthe selection of a new data center. The probability can be determinedfor each distance by drawing a corresponding circuit and determining thepercentage of the corresponding circle's circumference that falls withina mapping region of a new data center. In certain embodiments, theprobability determination can be further refined by weighting certaingeographic areas differently depending upon the likelihood that ahypothetical endpoint device would be located within the correspondingareas. For example, geographic regions that are sparsely populated orthat are not accessible by conventional transportation (e.g., awilderness area) could be weighted lower than a densely populated area(e.g., the downtown of a major city). Other considerations can also betaken into account in the probability determination.

As shown at block 210, if the mismatch does not exceed the threshold,then the location database remains unchanged and the existing databaseentry is used for future decisions. If the mismatch does exceed thethreshold, then the corresponding entry in the location database can bemodified to include the secondary geolocation information, per block212. The process can be repeated as new geolocation information isreceived. Although not expressly depicted, various embodiments aredirected towards a VoIP server that can also be configured to updateentries in the location database manually or in response to otherinputs. For instance, an administrator might become aware of a problemthrough a customer complaint of a report from the VoIP system, such asare report showing the use of the wrong carrier for a particularendpoint device. The VoIP server can be configured to provide aninterface (e.g., graphical user interface, a remote desktop connection,or a website accessible interface) that allows the administrator toselect the entry for the particular endpoint device and to provide adifferent location that overrides geolocation information provided bythe endpoint device or other source. This can be particularly useful forsituations where the location of the endpoint device is being spoofed tomake the endpoint device look like it is in a different location.

In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the VoIP server can beconfigured to use call quality data when making routing decisions. Thecall quality data can include information such as latency, packet loss,jitter, user feedback, and other quality indicators. The call qualitydata can be obtained for each end-point device by performing aconnection test or by measuring call quality metrics during live VoIPcalls. The call quality data can also be collected from other end pointdevices and stored in one or more databases. This data can be used todetermine an expected call quality for a particular end point device.For example, an endpoint device might provide GPS information indicatingthat it is located at particular location (e.g., a particular city). TheVoIP server can make routing decisions based upon historical callquality data from other endpoint devices that were also determined to beat the particular location.

According to particular embodiments, a call data center selection thatis based upon location information can be changed or refined based uponcall quality data. For example, if the call quality data may be comparedagainst one or more threshold levels to determine whether or not therouting should be modified. For instance, the VoIP server can beconfigured to first select default data centers for endpoint devicesbased their geographic locations. The VoIP server can then collect callquality data through a test procedure, through actual VoIP calls, orcombinations thereof. If the call quality data is below an acceptablethreshold level (e.g., the latency is above a set number ofmilliseconds), the VoIP server can select a different data center forthe endpoint device to use.

In some embodiments, different threshold levels can be set for differentcall quality parameters, such as having a first threshold for latency, asecond threshold for jitter, and a third threshold for packet loss. Ifany of the thresholds are exceeded, then the VoIP server can attempt tofind a better route for the corresponding endpoint device. The VoIPserver can also use a threshold that relies upon a combination ofmultiple call quality parameters. For example, the Mean Opinion Score(MOS), Perceptual Speech Quality Measure (PSQM), Perceptual Evaluationof Speech Quality (PESQ), and Perceptual Analysis/Measurement System(PAMS) call quality measurement methods are examples of algorithms forproducing a quality metric. Corresponding thresholds can be set basedupon one or more of such quality metrics.

According to certain embodiments, the VoIP server can be configured toselect another route by carrying out a call quality test between theendpoint device and one or more alternative data centers. The VoIPserver can then select a data center that has better call quality testresults.

The use of additional call quality data can be particularly useful forsituations where the geographic location is not representative of thedata center that has the shortest logical data path to the endpointdevice. For example, an end point device could be physically located onthe West Coast of the United States (e.g. Los Angeles). Using only GPSlocation the VoIP server may decide to routing traffic to data centerlocated on the West Coast. The end point device, however, might be usinga virtual private network (VPN) and/or a Multiprotocol Label Switching(MPLS) network that connects to the Internet using a node located on theEast Coast. Thus, the endpoint device is likely to have better callquality when communicating with a data center located on the East Coast.Accordingly, the VoIP server can take into account more than justgeographic location (e.g., as might be indicated by GPS and IP addressdata).

FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram showing an example manner in which a callis established using geolocation information, consistent with variousembodiments of the present disclosure. The flow diagram beings with theVoIP server receiving a call involving at least one VoIP endpoint deviceas a call peer, per block 302. The call can be an inbound call from aremote endpoint device (VoIP, cellular, POTs or otherwise), or anoutbound call from one of the VoIP endpoint devices. In particularembodiments, the VoIP server can be configured to use SIP and theinbound or outbound calls can be initiated using an SIP invite command.

The VoIP server can then determine whether there are any selectablerouting options that would be based upon geographic location of a callpeer that is also a VoIP endpoint device, per block 304. If not, thenthe VoIP server can complete the call, per block 314. This might occur,for example, if the call is between two VoIP devices that each use theVoIP network that is serviced by the VoIP server. In such an instance, aremote telephone carrier selection might not be necessary because thecall can be completed entirely over the Internet. If there are potentialdecisions to be made based upon geographic location of a VoIP endpointdevice, then the VoIP server is configured to attempt to retrievegeolocation information from a location database (DB), per block 306.

In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the VoIP server isconfigured to determine whether or not the geolocation information isboth accurate (above a threshold confidence level) and available, perblock 308. The VoIP server can be configured to compare the determinedprobability to a threshold value to make the decision that correspondsto block 308. If not, then the VoIP server makes a default selection,per block 312. For instance, the default selection could be theselection of an international carrier that offers satisfactory serviceacross the world. If the VoIP server determines that the geolocationinformation is both accurate and available, the retrieved geolocationinformation can be used to make a proper routing decision for the call.In particular, the routing decision can include selecting one or morerouting resources (e.g., a telephone carrier, media server, or both),per block 310. The call can then be completed using the selection(s), asshown at block 314.

According to embodiments, the accuracy determination of block 308 isbased upon a probabilistic determination as to the likelihood that thegeolocation information is correct, also referred to as a confidencelevel for the accuracy of the information. The geolocation informationretrieved from the database can include an indication of source for thegeolocation information. The VoIP server can use this indication todetermine whether the source was a DNS record, reported directly by anendpoint device (e.g., using GPS), or both. The VoIP server can thenapply a different analysis depending upon the source of the indicatedlocation. In other case, the probabilistic determination can be basedupon historic data for other endpoint devices, IP external addresses,and their corresponding characteristics.

Consistent with certain embodiments of the present disclosure, blocks ofIP addresses can be assigned to the same entity and therefore exhibitsimilar accuracy issues. For example, the entity might provide Internetaccess to users located in many different geographic locations, but theDNS entries for the block of IP addresses may specify the samegeolocation. The VoIP server can correlate the endpoint devices havingthe same, or related, IP addresses. This correlation can be based uponinformation in the DNS entries (e.g., IP addresses owned by the sameentity), subscription information for subscribers of a VoIP service, orother sources.

In a situation where the indicated location is based upon a DNS record,the VoIP server can compare the geolocation information provided byendpoint devices using the IP addresses with the DNS location todetermine the number of known mismatches in the corresponding locations.This information can be used for determining the probability that theDNS-based location for a particular endpoint device is correct. Anotherexample characteristic that can be used is how recently an IP address(DNS) registration entry was updated or how recently an IP addressregistration entry was changed to a new owner.

The relevance of the secondary (e.g., GPS) geolocation information canalso be given a probability rating. One characteristic that can be usedto determine the probability rating is the age of the information, witholder information being presumptively less accurate. As discussed above,multiple endpoint devices can share the same external (WAN) IP address.Consistent with this discussion, known location information for themultiple endpoint devices that use the same, or can be compared todetermine the accuracy of any particular endpoint device, even in thepresence of separate GPS-type geolocation information. In the case thatthere are mismatches in known locations for endpoint devices having thesame, or related, IP addresses, the accuracy of the location informationmay be called into question. As a non-limiting example, a WAN IP address(or group of correlated IP addresses) could be used by one-hundreddifferent endpoint devices. In an extreme situation, ninety-nine of theendpoint devices may have the same, or similar, reported geolocation,while the only remaining endpoint device has a significantly differentreported (GPS) geolocation. The presence of a single outlier suggestsall devices may be located at the same location and that reportedlocation for the outlier endpoint device may be incorrect. The VoIPserver can therefore assign a relatively low accuracy to the geolocationfor the endpoint device having the different reported geolocation.

According to certain embodiments, the probabilistic determination caninclude fitting a model to the historic data for endpoint devices andthen determining the probability based upon the model. For instance, amodel can be created using least-squares fitting or maximum likelihoodestimation. Machine learning algorithms could be applied to identifyrelevant parameters for the probabilistic determination by classifyingthe data, e.g., using support vector machines or other classificationalgorithms. Once a model has been generated, data associated with aprovided geolocation information and a corresponding IP address can beentered into the model to determine the confidence level for theaccuracy of the information.

FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram showing an example of how a VoIP endpointdevice application is able to provide geolocation updates, consistentwith embodiments of the present disclosure. In this example, block 402shows the software application being configured to interface with one ormore geolocation modules of the VoIP endpoint device in order to receivegeolocation information or data. For example, in such embodiments, theVoIP endpoint device can have a GPS module that provides GPS-generatedcoordinates. The software application might also be configured to use alocation service, such as Google Location Services, which can use acombination of different inputs to derive a geographic location. Thisdata can then be provided to a VoIP server over a network, such as theInternet.

According to certain embodiments, the software application is configuredto reduce the amount of update transmissions that are made to the VoIPserver. When considering scalability of the geolocation features, areduction in communications across all VoIP endpoint devices can providesignificant benefits as the number of VoIP endpoint devices increases.Accordingly, the software application can be configured to store andretrieve geolocation data that was previously provided to the VoIPserver in a memory circuit of the endpoint device, per block 404.

The retrieved data can then be compared to the current geolocationinformation to determine whether the VoIP endpoint device has movedsince previous geolocation was reported. In certain embodiments, thedecision on whether or not to report new geolocation data can be madebased upon whether or not a mismatch trigger event has occurred, perblock 406. Mismatch trigger events can be based upon different criteria,such as the new location being outside a certain radius that is centeredon the prior geographic location, the new location being in a newmunicipality or country, the endpoint device being registered to adifferent VoIP server relative to the last reporting, or otherconsiderations. Various particular examples are discussed in more detailherein including various mismatch thresholds discussed in connectionwith FIG. 2.

If no trigger event is satisfied, in this example the softwareapplication is configured so that an update is not provided to the VoIPserver, and the process then repeats. If a trigger event is satisfied,in this example the software application is configured to send the newgeolocation data to a VoIP server, per block 408. The softwareapplication can also update the stored version of the last reportedgeolocation data to account for the new geolocation data that was sentto the VoIP server, per block 410. The process can then be repeated.

FIG. 5 depicts a flow diagram for generating periodic updating timingsfor different endpoint devices, consistent with one or more embodimentsof the present disclosure. According to various embodiments, theendpoint devices can be configured to provide updates in response totrigger events. One type of trigger event that can be implemented is atime-based (e.g., periodic), trigger event. For example, an endpointdevice can be configured to provide an update every 24 hours. Theendpoint device can track the time since the last location update wasprovided and provide a new update upon reaching the time specified bythe trigger event (in this example 24 hours).

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a number ofdifferent algorithms with different input parameters can be used todetermine the particular values for time-based trigger events ofdifferent endpoint devices. For example, the algorithm can be designedto calculate a deviation from a default time 506 using inputs fromdifferent data sources. One such data source can provide informationregarding a load on a VoIP server, which can then be used to generate aserver load parameter 502 that is used in the algorithm 512 to generateperiodic update timings 514. These periodic update timings 514 can thenbe provided to the endpoint devices 516, 518, and 520. The server loadparameter 502 can represent the amount of server resources that are usedand available including, but not limited to, data bandwidth, memoryspace, and server processing time. The amount of available resources canbe inferred from data such as the number of endpoint devices assigned tothe VoIP server and from call summary metrics and analytics, as might beprovided by a data analytics server, such as the data analytics server124 from FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the available resources, such asavailable data bandwidth, can be directly measured using monitoringsoftware and equipment. Combinations of inferential determinations anddirect measurements can also be used.

As the server load increases, the VoIP server can adjust the server loadparameter 502 to increase the timing between updates for all endpointdevices, as indicated in the periodic update timings 514. For example,the server load parameter could be expressed as a percentage orfraction. The percentage is used by the algorithm 512 to scale theperiodic timings 514 for all of the endpoint devices. Thus, eachendpoint device can have a separate periodic update timing value thathas been scaled up or down by a percentage that corresponds to thecurrent server load. In certain embodiments, the endpoint devices can begrouped based upon their similarities (e.g., all tablets located in asimilar geographic location can be in the same group) and a singleperiodic update timing value can be generated for each group of endpointdevices. Other variations of how the server load parameter 502 isgenerated and used are also possible, such as the use of an offset value(e.g., a set amount of minutes to add or subtract from the defaulttime). An offset value can be used in place of a percentage value or inconjunction with a percentage value.

Another possible parameter can be the endpoint device type parameter504. For instance, the VoIP server could be configured to request morefrequent updates relative to whether the endpoint device is designed formobility. The type of endpoint device could therefore be definedrelative to the expected mobility, such as having different typescorresponding to smart phones, tablets, laptops, dedicated IP-phones anddesktop computers. This might result in more frequent updates beingprovided by a smart phone than by a desktop computer, with all otherconsiderations being equal.

Another potential parameter is the current location parameter 508. Forexample, an endpoint device that is very near a relevant boundary can beconfigured to provide more frequent updates. This might happen when anendpoint device is near country borders that define which local carrierto use, or when the endpoint device is located close to a boundarydefining which data center, and corresponding media server, the endpointdevice would connect with. In some instances, the updates could be (atleast temporarily) increased if the endpoint device is located near amajor transportation hub (e.g., an airport). Accordingly, the currentlocation can be expressed as a parameter that takes into consideration alikelihood that the location of the endpoint device will have a materialchange in location for a given time period.

A further example of a parameter is a usage parameter 510. The usageparameter can be derived from call summary data that is collected fromthe endpoint devices. In a simplistic implementation, the usageparameter 510 could be an average number of calls per a given timeperiod. The endpoints usage parameter 510 could be adjusted for endpointdevices that are heavily used so that they provide more frequentupdates. This can be particularly useful for providing more accuratelocation-based updates for heavily-used endpoint devices that are morelikely to be involved in one or more calls after the location haschanged, but before a location update has been provided. In moreparticular embodiments, usage parameter 510 can be derived from otherVoIP call characteristics. For example, the ratio of incoming tooutgoing calls might be a relevant consideration. For outgoing calls,the VoIP server can select both which carrier is used and which mediaserver is used. Incoming calls, however, already have a carrier selectedby the caller. Thus, the number outgoing calls might carry more weightthan the number of incoming calls when determining the usage parameter510.

Some VoIP endpoint devices might be seldom, if ever, used, while othersmight be used many times a day. As a particular example, a VoIP providedmight allow individuals to download a software application to theirmobile device (e.g., smart phone). This might result in many individualsdownloading the application even if they use it infrequently, if at all,and each of these downloaded applications being a potential source forupdate information. The relative harm in caused by inaccurate locationinformation would be expected to be lower for the infrequently usedendpoint devices, because fewer calls would be expected from suchdevices. Conversely, a VoIP endpoint device that is used very frequentlyhas a greater chance that calls will occur before the locationinformation is updated, leading to more calls being handled withinaccurate location information.

Consistent with certain embodiments, the algorithm 512 can be designedto incorporate several different parameters to generate the periodicupdate timings. For example, the algorithm can allow each parameter tospecify a percentage (A₀, B₀, C₀) and an offset (A₁, B₁, C₁). Thedefault value D (representing the periodic update time) can be adjustedaccording to a formula: D_(Adjusted Time)=(D*A₀*B₀*C₀)+A₁+B₁+C₁.According to particular implementations, additional scaling factors areused to meet target outcomes. For example, a target outcome might beused to limit the amount of updates at each server to a desired rate forthat server (e.g., a certain number of updates per minute). TheD_(Adjusted Time) could be scaled by a factor until the aggregate rateof updates is at or below a Target Rate for the server (expressed as anumber of updates per unit of time): Σ_(i=0)^(n)1/D_(Adjusted Time,i)≤Target Rate. Here n is the number of endpointdevices assigned to a particular server and D_(Adjusted Time,i) is theperiodic update time for endpoint i.

According to some embodiments, the scaling factor can also take intoconsideration the expected number of calls that would be incorrectlyrouted at a particular update timing. For instance, the data analyticsserver can be configured to calculate and provide call frequency datafor each endpoint device. This data can be used to determine theprobability that the endpoint will be involved with a call during agiven time period. Movement history data for the endpoint device can becollected and used by the VoIP server to determine a probability that,for a given time period, an endpoint device will move to a location thatwould result in a change to a selected carrier or media server. Thesetwo probabilities are then used to determine the probability that callswould be incorrectly routed at a particular scaling setting. The scalingsetting can be adjusted to reduce the expected number of incorrectlyrouted calls below a desired level.

According to certain embodiments, the VoIP server can be configured toconsider the relative reporting times for the endpoint devices in orderto avoid congestion caused by reporting times being grouped together.This congestion can tax the VoIP server resources, such as the dataconnection bandwidth, processing time, and memory. For example, consideran example where a thousand endpoint devices that are each configured toreport every 24 hours. In an extreme situation, all thousand endpointdevices might use the same starting time point (e.g., noon) from whichthey each calculate their respective update timings. This would resultin all the endpoints attempting to provide location updates at the sametime (e.g., at noon every day). This might overload the VoIP server withrespect to one or more of its resources, resulting in poor performanceuntil the VoIP server is able finish receiving and processing theupdates. Accordingly, the VoIP server can be configured to identifycongestion points by predicting when updates would be received byendpoint devices that are currently assigned to the VoIP server. TheVoIP server can then attempt to balance the expected update times byspecifying a different starting time point for each endpoint device, orfor groups of endpoints. The VoIP server can transmit the desiredstarting time to relevant endpoint devices. Upon receipt of the startingtime, each endpoint device can reset their respective trigger timer sothat it begins at the updated starting time. There are alternativemanners in which the VoIP server could achieve similar results, such astransmitting communications, at the start times, where thecommunications request that the corresponding endpoint device reset thetrigger timer immediately. This would effectively set the starting timeat the time that the communication was received.

In more complex situations, the endpoint devices can each have differenttrigger event timings (specifying the time between each locationupdate). This can result in the expected update times converging evenwhen the endpoint devices have different starting time points.Accordingly, the VoIP server can be configured to track the startingtimes and the trigger event timings for the endpoint devices to identifywhen the location updates converge. For instance, the VoIP server canidentify situations where the number of location updates within a giventime period (e.g., five minutes) exceeds a threshold. The threshold canbe a predetermined maximum amount or a relative amount that is basedupon the total amount of endpoints and their respective location updatefrequency.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the VoIP servercan be configured consider other VoIP server functions that wouldconsume the available resources. This type of information can becollected and analyzed by the data analytics server 124. For example,the data analytics server 124 can build a VoIP call profile from priorcall history and call summary metrics. The VoIP server can use thisprofile information to identify congestion points that are caused bysomething other than the location updates. The VoIP server can adjustthe starting time points so that more endpoint devices provide theirlocation updates during less congested times. The VoIP call profilemight indicate, for example, that there is a high call volume during theday and low call volume during the night. The VoIP server can thenadjust the start times so that more updates are provided at night thanduring the day.

FIG. 6 depicts a flow diagram for processing and updating locationaddresses relative to IP addresses, consistent with embodiments of thepresent disclosure. The flow diagram can be triggered either by thereceipt of location updates from endpoint devices, per block 602, or theidentification of a problem with location information, per block 610.The identification of a problem or issue might correspond to the wrongcarrier or data center having been selected based upon the currentlocation information that is stored in the database for the particularIP address. For example, this might occur when an endpoint device hasnot yet provided an accurate location update and the DNS locationinformation is inaccurate for the particular IP address.

In response to a received location update, the VoIP server can beconfigured to correlate the received location data with the particularIP address, per block 604. For example, when the location update data isprovided, the VoIP server can extract the source IP address of thecommunication. The extracted IP address is then correlated (or matched)with the received location data so that the IP address can be used toaccess the location database. The VoIP server can then identify anydiscrepancies between the received location data and the locationinformation stored in the location database (for the extracted IPaddress), per block 606. The discrepancies can be expressed in terms ofa relative distance between the two locations. In some embodiments, thelocation database can store multiple past locations that were stored forthe IP address, as might have been received by endpoint devicesproviding prior location updates. The discrepancies can be relative tothe most recent location information or an average location determinedby the historic location.

The VoIP server can then determine the accuracy of the location storedin the database for the IP address, per block 608. As discussed herein,the accuracy can be expressed in terms of a confidence level orprobabilistic determination. The VoIP server can compare the determinedaccuracy (or confidence level) to a threshold, per block 612. If theaccuracy is above the threshold, the VoIP server can leave the currentlocation information unchanged and exit the flow, per block 620.Otherwise, the VoIP server can identify how many endpoint devices areassociated with the IP address, per block 614. In particular, the VoIPserver can access a lookup table, or similar data structure, that linkseach IP address with the endpoint devices that use the IP address.

The VoIP server can then request location data from one or more of theidentified endpoint devices, per block 616. In this manner, the VoIPserver can proactively request additional location information to helpresolve a potential location uncertainty. This can be particularlyuseful for situations where the endpoints that use an IP address are notlocated in the same geographic area. In particular, by requestinglocation information from the other endpoints, the VoIP server canprevent a situation where the location for an IP address is continuallychanging between locations based upon the most recent endpoint device toprovide location information. Depending upon the data received from therequest, the VoIP server can then update the location database with newlocation information, per block 618. The VoIP server can then exit theflow, per block 620.

Various blocks, modules or other circuits may be implemented to carryout one or more of the operations and activities described herein and/orshown in the figures. As examples, the Specification describes and/orillustrates aspects useful for implementing the claimed invention by wayof various circuits or circuitry using terms such as blocks, modules,device, system, unit, controller, and the like. In these contexts, a“block” (also sometimes “logic circuitry” or “module”) is a circuit thatcarries out one or more of these or related operations/activities (e.g.,a call control circuit). For example, in certain ones of theabove-discussed embodiments, one or more modules are discrete logiccircuits, computer processing circuits, or programmable logic circuitsconfigured and arranged for implementing these operations/activities, asin the blocks shown in the figures.

Similarly, it will be apparent that a server (e.g., providing acorresponding software platform) includes a computer processing circuitthat is configured to provide services to other circuit-based devices.Moreover, a (VoIP) endpoint device (or endpoint) includes acommunication circuit and (computer) processing circuits which areconfigured to establish (VoIP) communication sessions with otherendpoint devices (e.g., personal computers, IP-enabled mobile phones,and tablet computers). In certain embodiments, such a processing circuitis one or more computer processing circuits programmed to execute a set(or sets) of instructions (and/or configuration data). The instructions(and/or configuration data) can be in the form of software stored in andaccessible from a memory circuit, and where such circuits are directlyassociated with one or more algorithms (or processes), the activitiespertaining to such algorithms are not necessarily limited to thespecific flows such as shown in the flow charts illustrated in thefigures (e.g., where a circuit is programmed to perform the relatedsteps, functions, operations, activities, etc., the flow charts aremerely specific detailed examples). The skilled artisan would alsoappreciate that different (e.g., first and second) modules can include acombination of a central processing unit (CPU) hardware-based circuitryand a set of computer-executable instructions, in which the first moduleincludes a first CPU hardware circuit with one set of instructions andthe second module includes a second CPU hardware circuit with anotherset of instructions.

Certain embodiments are directed to a computer program product (e.g.,nonvolatile memory device), which includes a machine orcomputer-readable medium having stored thereon, instructions which maybe executed by a computer (or other electronic device) that includes acomputer processor circuit to perform these operations/activities. Forexample, these instructions reflect activities or data flows as may beexemplified in figures, flow charts, and the detailed description.

Based upon the above discussion and illustrations, those skilled in theart will readily recognize that various modifications and changes may bemade to the various embodiments without strictly following the exemplaryembodiments and applications illustrated and described herein. Forexample, although aspects and features may in some cases be described inindividual figures, it will be appreciated that features from one figurecan be combined with features of another figure even though thecombination is not explicitly shown or explicitly described as acombination. Such modifications do not depart from the true spirit andscope of various aspects of the disclosure, including aspects set forthin the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for use with a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) server that is configured to provide VoIP services to a plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices, the method comprising: receiving, at the VoIP server and from an application running on a particular endpoint device of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices, geolocation information identifying a first geographic location of the particular endpoint device; comparing the first geographic location to a second geographic location indicated by an IP address used by the particular endpoint device, wherein the first geographic location is indicative of an actual physical location of the particular endpoint device, and the second geographic location is a registered location associated with the IP address and particular endpoint device; modifying, in response to a mismatch between the compared geographic locations, a location database to include an entry specifying that the particular endpoint device is located at the first geographic location; receiving, at the VoIP server, an outgoing telephone call from the particular endpoint device; selecting, based upon the first geographic location in the entry that specifies that the actual physical location of the particular endpoint device, a telephone carrier; and routing, based upon the selecting of the telephone carrier, the outgoing telephone call using the selected telephone carrier.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the—second geographic location is indicative of the registered location associated with the IP address further comprising determining, based upon the comparing, that the first geographic location falls outside of a particular radius from the second geographic location and selected the telephone carrier from a plurality of selectable routing options including different telephone carriers and media servers.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the modifying is further in response to the determining that the first geographic location falls outside of the particular radius from the second geographic location, and wherein the second geographic location is indicative of a physical location associated with the particular endpoint device that is inconsistent with the actual physical location.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, based upon the comparing, that the first geographic location is within a different country than the second geographic location, wherein the second geographic location is the registered location associated with the particular endpoint device and in which the particular endpoint is not physically located.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the modifying is further in response to the determining that the first geographic location is within the different country.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the IP address is an external IP address and the particular endpoint device is part of a local network and is configured and arranged to access the Internet using the external IP address.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the IP address used by the particular endpoint device remains the same responsive to movement by the particular endpoint device.
 8. A method for use with a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) server that is configured to provide VoIP services to a plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices, the method comprising: receiving, at the VoIP server and from an application running on a particular endpoint device of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices, geolocation information identifying a first geographic location of the particular endpoint device; comparing the first geographic location to a second geographic location indicated by an IP address used by the particular endpoint device, wherein the first geographic location is indicative of an actual physical location of the particular endpoint device, and the second geographic location is a registered location associated with the IP address and particular endpoint device; modifying, in response to a mismatch between the compared geographic locations, a location database to include an entry specifying that the particular endpoint device is located at the first geographic location; receiving, at the VoIP server, an inbound call to the particular endpoint device; selecting, based upon the entry that specifies that the particular endpoint device is located at the first geographic location, a media server; and routing, based upon the selecting of the media server, the inbound call using the selected media server.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the inbound call includes receiving an invite using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), wherein the first geographic location is indicative of an actual physical location of the particular endpoint device and the second geographic location is indicative of a location the particular endpoint device is linked with and the mismatch indicates the first geographic location is inconsistent with the second geographic location.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the inbound call originates from a telephone on the Plain Old Telephone System (POTS).
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein the media server provides media relay functions for the inbound call, wherein receiving the geolocation information is in response to a trigger event indicative of the particular endpoint device moving between geographic regions.
 12. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining, based upon the comparing, that the first geographic location falls outside of a particular radius from the second geographic location and, in response, receiving the geolocation information.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the modifying is further in response to the determining that the first geographic location falls outside of the particular radius from the second geographic location, the second geographic location being indicative of a data center and corresponding media servers.
 14. A system comprising: a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) server that includes one or more computer processor circuits and memory circuits that are configured to provide VoIP services to a plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices by: receiving, at the VoIP server and from an application running on a particular endpoint device of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices, geolocation information identifying a first geographic location of the particular endpoint device; comparing the first geographic location to a second geographic location indicated by an IP address used by the particular endpoint device, wherein the first geographic location is indicative of an actual physical location of the particular endpoint device, and the second geographic location is a registered location associated with the IP address and particular endpoint device; modifying, in response to a mismatch between the compared geographic locations, a location database to include an entry specifying that the particular endpoint device is located at the first geographic location; receiving, at the VoIP server, a telephone call for which the particular endpoint device is a calling peer; making a routing decision based upon the entry that specifies that the particular endpoint device is located at the first geographic location; and routing the telephone call based upon the routing decision.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the routing decision includes a selection of a telephone carrier to complete the telephone call, the selected telephone carrier being among a plurality of selectable routing options including different telephone carriers and media servers, and the second geographic location is a registered location associated with the particular endpoint device.
 16. The system of claim 14, wherein the routing decision includes a selection of a media server to complete the telephone call, the selected media server being among a plurality of selectable routing options including different telephone carriers and media servers, wherein receiving the geolocation information is in response to a trigger event indicative of the particular endpoint device moving regions, the trigger event being dependent on a current geographic region in which the particular endpoint is located.
 17. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more computer processor circuits and memory circuits are further configured to determine, based upon the comparing, that the first geographic location falls outside of a particular radius from the second geographic location.
 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the modifying is further in response to the determining that the first geographic location falls outside of the particular radius from the second geographic location.
 19. The system of claim 14, further including: the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices; and a local network that at least one of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices forms part of, wherein the IP address is an external IP address, and the particular endpoint device is configured and arranged to access the Internet using the external IP address.
 20. The system of claim 19, further including a domain name system (DNS) server circuitry hosted by a remote service and configured and arranged for the external IP address, wherein the DNS server circuitry is located at a different geographic location than the particular endpoint device. 